


Dream A Little Dream

by WahlBuilder



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Warhammer 40.000, Warhammer 40k (Novels) - Various Authors
Genre: Alternative Universe - Dragon Age-Verse, M/M, The Fade, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-07
Updated: 2015-11-07
Packaged: 2018-04-30 11:46:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5162690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WahlBuilder/pseuds/WahlBuilder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A former Knight-Commander Roboute Guilliman has met an unusual mage who has a spirit companion. And the spirit, they think, is someone Roboute knows, but they need a piece of advice about checking it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dream A Little Dream

'So who's Magnus?'

Lorgar could feel Roboute's anxiety and gripped his hand. It was nice, how solid he felt. Usually things felt like water in the Fade, real enough but still slipping away.

'I'm not sure. A spirit or a mage. A lost god or a fraction of god. Spirits call him the Dreamwalker and the Many-Coloured. He's curious as a spirit and powerful as a mage. Knows Qunlat—maybe he's Qunari or Tal-Vashot? I don't know. His lover is a wolf, a werewolf, and they are bound on a soul level. He's a beloved friend, that's all I can say, and I think he knows the Fade better than anyone else. The spirits respect him and love him.'

They were walking down a paved road—'down' in the literal sense for it was spiralling downward, suspended in a blue void. Trees flowed past them, turned upside down. Lorgar looked at them: they started turning red. He nodded to himself. That meant they were getting closer.

At least he stopped, and for a moment Roboute's projection merged with his, like two shadows overlapping each other, and it sent shivers through Lorgar. He looked under his feet, noticing the red crystals of passion, and quickly crushed them, before Roboute noticed them, too.

Focus, he had to focus.

'You have brought a guest,' sounded a voice, flowing from every direction, and colourful mist, going through all hues and tones of the rainbow, enveloped them.

Lorgar's smile bloomed green, and flowers fell from his lips as he talked, 'Magnus.'

'But I don't feel Compassion. He promised to take care of your body.'

The mist concentrated in front of them, turning into red silks wrapping around the powerful body, moving like algae or quick vines. One eye shone like a new star of the colour than had no name in any language, the other obscured by moving silks, and great ruby antlers started growing from his head. They were growing more and more branches with every passing moment, rubies hanging from them and dripping tears on the paved road.

'He's dancing with other spirits, and my body is asleep,' Lorgar answered at last. His awe, as always, was blue apples rolling down the road.

'You woke up? I'm glad.'

One apple touched Magnus's feet, hidden in the moving silks, and turned into a singing sapphire.

'I called you to talk about Compassion, actually,' said Lorgar.

'But first, introduce your friend to me, please.'

The red mist moved right through Lorgar, filling him with energy, and even without turning Lorgar could see how he appeared just behind him, face to face with Roboute who was staring at Magnus half in horror.

'I'm Magnus. Do not fear me, warrior.'

'I'm... I'm...'

Lorgar's sympathy wrapped like a cloak around Roboute's shoulders. Even the spirits couldn't do anything when they first met Magnus.

Magnus's laughter spilled in gold leaves around them, and wind blew them away further down the road. 'Roboute, is it? And a former Templar. Do you like it here in the Fade?'

'I... don't know. It's weird.'

Lorgar nodded. You couldn't lie to the Dreamwalker.

'So you came here about Compassion?' Although Magnus remained turned to Roboute, his eye appeared hovering in the air before Lorgar's face.

He nodded again. 'I think I know what Compassion is.'

Magnus scattered around them and two identical figures appeared at the sides of the road and started walking. Twice more thinking power when it's two figures pacing. A scroll sneaked into the hands of the left one, and he prepared to take notes with a golden quill, starting from the bottom of the scroll.

Lorgar took Roboute's hand and entwined their fingers. Roboute looked at him and managed a smile that made heat rush to Lorgar's face. Turning away he noticed Magnus's smirk.

Right, Compassion.

'A mage's soul is powerful enough and connected to the Fade enough that they can shape it, like spirits do. Is it possible that a mage lost here can become one of the spirits? Remember, Magnus? We talked to some spirits, and they seem to remember the waking world—and it's not just the things they saw in someone's dream. Roboute had a mage lover who was killed during his Harrowing, and estimating their age and the time when it happened...' He took a deep breath. He didn't have to breathe in the Fade, but the movement itself calmed him. 'It seems it was about that time that Compassion appeared at my side. What if, when some particular trait is very strong in them, they can become this trait, Anger, Hope, Faith... Or Compassion?'

'Or,' added Magnus to their right, 'this single trait is what makes them not go mad and not dissolve into the Fade.'

Lorgar nodded.

They were walking down the same paved road. A ruby bird appeared and sat on Magnus's growing antlers then turned upside down and blinked a black eye at Lorgar. Could it be that Magnus had talked to Konrad lately? Konrad liked to hang upside down.

'Might be possible,' said both Magnuses at the same time. 'I had a similar theory, but didn't know how to test it.'

'What can we do to check if it's really Roboute's beloved?'

'It is unlikely that he remembers his former name, but he's most likely remembers you, Roboute.' An eye hovered over Roboute, startling him. 'You must merge with him, entwine with him, open yourself to him and pour himself into him.'

Roboute's blush made tiny purple flowers bloom into life at his feet, and Lorgar suffocated the jealousy.

'Yes, that is exactly what I mean. Make love to him. But you must be prepared for the fact that he's not the same person anymore. He's a spirit, and while he might remember you, he's not human anymore.

You must be prepared for the fact that the purpose that has been keeping him whole could be you. Has he attacked you during the Harrowing?'

Roboute nodded. 'I... Yes, he moved to me but he was slain.'

'Maybe he accepted the Fade during the Harrowing and returned to the waking world only because he wanted to take you with him. To escape into the world where you could be together.'

Roboute was silent, and his hand fell through Lorgar's hand. It took all Lorgar's will to not show his pain.

'I need to think about it,' Roboute said at last.

Magnuses disappeared, and only the eye remained in the air. 'Take your time. Opening yourself to anyone in the Fade is a shaking experience. But if you try it, tell me about the results. It's might be very important. Take care, children.'

The gentle mist enveloped them, and Lorgar opened his eyes, disoriented. The fire has almost died out.

Roboute let go of his hand and went to the hearth, looking lost, his brows knitted.

Lorgar wanted to call his name, but then thought better of it, turned to the wall and pretended to be asleep. He prayed that his sobs wouldn't give him away.


End file.
